Winners of the 2013 B.C. Book Prizes announced

The 28th annual edition of the B.C. Book Prizes took place at Government House in Victoria last night (May 4). The gala event, hosted by Lt.-Gov. Judith Guichon and emceed by author and broadcaster Grant Lawrence, featured the announcement of winners in seven categories, not to mention the handing out of $28,000 in prize money.

The victorious titles were as follows:

Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize: The World by Bill Gaston (Hamish Hamilton Canada, Penguin Group Canada)

Roderick Haig-Brown Regional Prize (for “the book that contributes most to the enjoyment and understanding of British Columbia”): British Columbia: A New Historical Atlas by Derek Hayes (Douglas & McIntyre)

Hubert Evans Nonfiction Prize:The Art of the Impossible: Dave Barrett and the NDP in Power, 1972-1975 by Geoff Meggs and Rod Mickleburgh (Harbour Publishing)

Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize: Geographies of a Lover bySarah de Leeuw (NeWest Press)

Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Literature Prize: Maggie’s Chopsticks by Alan Woo, illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant (Kids Can Press)

Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize (for “the best nonillustrated book written for children”): Middle of Nowhere by Caroline Adderson (Groundwood Books)

Bill Duthie Booksellers’ Choice Award (for “the best book in terms of public appeal, initiative, design, production and content”): Making Headlines: 100 Years of The Vancouver Sun byShelley Fralic, with research by Kate Bird (The Vancouver Sun)

Also honoured last night were the dual recipients of this year’s Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Literary Excellence: poet Lorna Crozier and children’s author Sarah Ellis.